1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of record manufacturing, and more particularly to the field of picture record manufacturing.
2. Prior Art
Very recently a substantial market for picture records has developed, provided the picture records are of high quality, both in their sound reproduction capabilities and in their appearance. Such records are characterized by clear plastic surfaces into which the sound grooves are pressed, and below which are pictures of the artists, etc. having a size at least approximating the diameter of the record and visible through the clear plastic. While particular picture records may have other visual characteristics, these frequently depend upon the specific method of manufacture which is used.
Two prior art methods of making picture records and the structure of the records so made are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,584,094 and 3,687,769. Those two patents also contain a good description of prior problems in the manufacture of picture records and further provide, through the patents cited during the prosecution of those two applications and in the descriptions of the prior art therein, a good listing of the then relevant prior patents. (In addition to those patents, other prior patents of background interest include U.S. Pat. No. 1,477,117 issued to Gleason; U.S. Pat. No. 1,931,287 issued to Fisher; U.S. Pat. No. 2,528,611 issued to Saffady; U.S. Pat. No. 3,052,586 issued to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,730 issued to Bardowicks et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,866 issued to Nitti et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,298 issued to Utiger; U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,539 issued to lash; U.S. Pat. No. 3,689,078 issued to Ban; U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,274 issued to Genma; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,275 issued to Genma.)
U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,769 hereinbefore referred to discloses a laminated picture type phonograph record and method of making the same which results in a record comprised generally of five layers, specifically, a center core, an outward facing picture sheet on each side of the center core, and finally facing layers of thin, clear plastic into which the sound grooves are pressed. On pressing, the entire assembly is bonded into a single structure with the pictures preferably extending to a diameter slightly exceeding the diameter of the sound grooves, though not extending to the outer edge of the record so that the periphery of the record is solid plastic. In that regard, by making the center core black and and of a diameter at least equal to the flash land diameter on the record press (the clear plastic sheets should preferably be equal to or greater than the flashland diameter also) the outer edge of the record has a black appearance, much like the edge of conventional records. The center core as disclosed in this patent is a preform, though a biscuit (boomershot) may also be used with very careful and proper control of the pressing operation.
Records made in accordance with the foregoing patent can be of particularly high quality. Since each surface sheet is a thin, clear plastic sheet, the two pictures are very close to the adjacent record surfaces so that good picture clarity is achieved even though viewed through the record grooves. In addition, the use of the black center core resulting in the black edges for the record provides a psychological compatability or association of the picture records with conventional records. Further, the pictures may be on relatively thin sheets in comparison to certain prior art which utilizes a relatively heavy board printed on both sides so as to keep material costs down, the cost further being reduced by the fact that the center core material does not have to be a high grade material. Pressing records using this technique, however, is not particularly inexpensive, as four or five separate parts must be manually loaded into the record press for each record. Further, because of the number of parts which must be handled and alignment requirements to prevent warpage, the system does not readily lend itself to automation.